Overview
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ICC Executive Council Members
Sara Olsvig is the International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council. Olsvig is a long-time Indigenous Peoples’ rights and human rights defender, and a politician who has served as member of the Parliament of Denmark (2011–2015) and the Parliament of Greenland (2013–2018).
Sara Olsvig actively contributed to the work of the Constitutional Commission of Greenland as well as the Human Rights Council of Greenland. Olsvig holds a Master of Science in Anthropology and is currently a PhD candidate, Institute of Social Science, Economics & Journalism, Department of Arctic Social Science & Economics at Ilisimatusarfik, the University of Greenland.
Olsvig is a recipient of the 2023 Womenomics Inclusion Award. Sara Olsvig is Inuk, and was born in Nuuk, Greenland, where she resides with her partner and their children.
Nicole L. Kannik Paniġiuq “Kanayurak” Wojciechowski, an Inupiaq from Utqiaġvik, Alaska, has been an ICC representative for the Arctic Council’s PAME working group since 2016, following mentorship by Jimmy. Passionate about Inuit wellbeing and food systems, she has contributed to health and food security steering committees and served as a youth representative on the ICC Alaska Board from 2014 to 2018, advocating for youth involvement.
Nicole is the Deputy Director of Wildlife Management for the North Slope Borough, where she integrates Indigenous Knowledge with science for sustainable fish and wildlife harvests. She also serves on the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope Council, the regional tribal council.
Nicole holds a Master’s in Marine Affairs from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College. She enjoys living in her hometown and being an active community member.
Marie Kasaŋnaaluk Greene, raised in Deering, Alaska by her Aana, Nellie Karmun, had a 20-year career at NANA Regional Corporation, 13 of those as President and CEO. She spent 16 years working in several management and planning positions, including 11 years as President of Maniilaq Association the non-profit corporation providing Health, Tribal, and Social Services to the residents of Northwest Alaska.
Greene had the privilege of serving on several local, regional, national, and or international councils, boards, and commissions, including the OTZ Telephone Cooperative, Alaska Federation of Natives, Alaska Redistricting Board, the US Arctic Research Commission, the Inuit Circumpolar Council, Alaska board of directors and Northwest Arctic Region delegate. She currently serves on the Northwest Arctic Borough School District board of education and the Association of Alaska School Boards, the Northwest Arctic Borough Village Improvement Commission and newly elected to the Kotzebue Tribal Council. She holds a master’s degree in Rural Development and is a proud Aana and Amau. Greene brings a wealth of Cultural insight along with many years of senior-level leadership experience.
Hjalmar, hailing from Qaqortoq, Greenland, serves as the vice-chair for ICC International and is the president of ICC Greenland. He was first elected as an ICC council member in 2010 and has been a member of the Governing Board of the Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat since 2015.
Kathrine Bødker is the Executive Council Membet of ICC Kalaallit Nunaat. She is born in Ilulissat, in the Discobay and raised in Paamiut, in the Southern part of Kalaallit Nunaat and has been living in Nuuk for the last 30+ years.
She has devoted her volunteering work for women’s rights the past 20+ years and officially joined the work for Indigenous rights in 2022.
Bio to come.
Bio to come.
Lisa is from Puvirnituq, Northern Quebec (Nunavik), Canada, where she was raised by her grandparents Lydia and Aisa Koperqualuk. In 2022, Lisa became President of ICC Canada and the Vice-Chair of ICC International at the 14th General Assembly in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik. Prior to this role, she was the ICC Canada’s Vice President of International Affairs from 2018-2022.
As VP of International Affairs Lisa focused her work in the area of international shipping regulations successfully leading the ICC to receive provisional status as the first Indigenous People Organization to do so at the International Marine Organization (IMO).
Inuit interests in self-determination, Inuit political and economic autonomy, social justice, and protection of the environment, culture and language are areas Lisa promotes and advocates for. She is fluent in Inuktitut, English and French.
Herb Nakimayak is from Paulatuk in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. In 2022 he was elected as the Vice-President ICC Canada at the 14th General Assembly held in Kuujjuaq, Canada. Mr. Nakimayak previously held the seat of ICC Canada Vice President (International) from July 2014-2018.
He is committed to ensuring that Indigenous Knowledge systems, and Indigenous People have a place at the negotiating tables and forum regionally, nationally and globally. Herb is also the Chair of the Joint Secretariat and Fisheries Joint Management Committee and a co-lead on the Arramat Project.
The CAO is a priority for FJMC and ICC. Herb and ICC/FJMC team have contributed greatly in getting countries to the agreement to better understand Inuit knowledge systems.